What is Craniosacral Therapy

Craniosacral therapists seek to restore the “normal flow” of cerebrospinal fluid throughout the central nervous system - from the brain to the end of the spinal cord. The treatment consists of gentle massage and manipulation of the skull bones and articulations of the spinal column, many of which are not yet fused (i.e. still cartilaginous) in children. The gentle movement of these bones is said to improve the flow of cerebrospinal fluid by manipulating the meninges (protective connective tissues) which protect the brain and spinal tissue and remove any blockages and restrictions. It is thought that this movement provides restoration of the natural movements of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) “flow”. The return to natural CSF flow is believed to restore balance to the central nervous system and put the body in a parasympathetic (relaxed) state.

What to expect at your Craniosacral Therapy session

Pediatric CST
This appointment will take about 30-45 minutes. It includes a consult and full body treatment. It might also include breathing or suck retraining exercises as needed.

Adult CST
This appointment takes about 45-60 minutes. It is for established clients and includes a full-body treatment. We would address breathing concerns if needed.

The appointments are designed to go over exercises that restore the autonomic breathing process. So switching people from mouth breathers to nose breathers by addressing the nerves. The exercises should make the nose nerve primary over the mouth nerve and ultimately make the vagus nerve primary of the 12 brainstem nerves. Once the nerves are balanced, the brain uses less energy, inflammation levels should go down in the body, nitric oxide levels should go up and people can hopefully feel more relaxed and healthier! This has also been shown to turn off asthma, so pretty cool!